Bichambered convertible headrest cover with padded insert

ABSTRACT

A removable headrest cover includes a flexible shroud having an inner chamber and an outer chamber. The inner chamber contains padding and is separated from the outer chamber by an inner panel and the outer chamber is accessible through an outer opening defined through an outer surface of the shroud. The shroud is configured to enclose a chair headrest within the outer chamber, and when removed from the chair, to be rolled or folded into multiple stacked portions the outermost portion of which includes an end segment of the outer opening that can enclose the other rolled or stacked portions within the outer chamber to form a pillow.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority toU.S. Pat. Application 17/510,287 filed on Oct. 25, 2021, which is acontinuation of and claims priority to U.S. Pat. Application 16/820,668filed Mar. 16, 2020 (now U.S. Pat. 11,154,138), which is a continuationof and claims priority to U.S. Pat. Application 16/389,345 filed on Apr.19, 2019 (now U.S. Pat. 10,588,418), which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Application 62/660,120, which was filed on Apr. 19, 2018,all of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to padded covers for headrests,and more specifically to removable headrest covers for temporaryinstallation on chair tops or luggage handles, and especially onheadrests on passenger seats in vehicles.

Description of Related Art

Padded headrests on chairs are well known in the art, for providingcomfort and support to a seated individual. Most such headrests are anintegral part of the chair, and may not provide the level of comfortdesired by a particular user. This is because the padding is usuallydesigned to abut the back of the user’s head, and is not equipped toprovide support for the user’s neck. The discomfort is aggravated in thecase of passengers traveling long distances, for example, by car, train,or airplane, where the passenger must remain seated for many hours withinadequate head and neck support.

Some solutions already exist that seek to address this very problem. Forexample, many seats on American Airlines® passenger planes are equippedwith headrests that include padded, adjustable side panels that providea passenger with head and neck support when the passenger lies her headto the left or right. Other solutions are portable pillow-like devicesspecifically designed for neck support. One such product is tubularpillow designed for placement between the headrest and the back of thepassenger’s neck. Another similar product is U-shaped so that duringusage, middle part of the U rests behind the passenger’s neck and thelegs of the U provide support on both sides of the passenger’s neck. Andof course there are small, conventional pillows made available by mostairlines to passengers, to provide a cushion against the window or theirfellow passenger.

None of these solutions, however, protect the passenger from coming intocontact with headrest residue left behind by a prior passenger. In somecases, the residue may simply be an annoying, albeit benevolentsubstance such as an oily or sticky film. In other cases, the residuemay contain germs left by sick passengers who have coughed or drooledon, or otherwise infected the headrest. What is needed is a portableheadrest cover with head and neck support that can be installed andremoved by passengers for improved comfort and sanitation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a portable headrest cover that can beinstalled onto the headrest portion of a chair to form a comfortable,protective barrier between the headrest and the head and neck of anindividual seated in the chair. When removed from the chair, theheadrest cover can be converted into a pillow to provide an alterativemeans of comfort for the individual or collapsed for easy transport andstorage.

In one embodiment according to the invention, a removable headrest coverfor installation on a headrest portion of a chair includes a flexibleshroud having an inner chamber and an outer chamber. The inner chamberis separated from the outer chamber by an inner panel disposed withinthe outer chamber, the outer chamber is accessible through an outeropening defined through an outer surface of the shroud, and the innerchamber is accessible through an inner opening defined through the innerpanel. Padding is enclosed within the inner chamber. The flexible shroudis configured to enclose within the outer chamber a headrest portion ofa passenger seat in a commercial airplane, so that the padding withinthe inner chamber provides additional comfort to an individual seatedthere.

In one embodiment, the headrest cover has a side wall connecting a frontsurface of the shroud to a back surface. Defined in a top section of thesidewall is a second opening which extends into the outer chamber. Thesecond opening defines a passage connecting the outer opening to thesecond opening to form a sleeve. The sleeve is designed to allow a userto fit the headrest cover over the extended handle of a suitcase (orother elongated handle member) to convert the suitcase into a chair witha padded lower-back section. The outer chamber can thereafter be used asa storage compartment, with two convenient openings to access the outerchamber.

The second opening also defines a second passage that extendssubstantially through the outer chamber to a closed bottom section ofthe side wall. The second passage is designed to allow a user to fit theheadrest cover over the extended handle of a suitcase to convert thesuitcase into a chair with a padded upper-back section.

In another embodiment, the outer opening is positioned on the upperone-third of the back surface of the shroud to form an upper outeropening. The upper outer opening results in a small, upper flap oppositea lower flap to form the outer surface of the shroud. The upper andlower flap are designed with means for closing the upper outer opening,such as hook-and-loop (Velcro®) fasteners, buttons, a zipper or anyother conventional means for closing. The upper flap is designed to beof such a size to ensure the headrest cover is adequately secured on aheadrest while minimalizing any obstruction on the rear of the headrest.

In one embodiment of the invention, the removable headrest cover can becollapsed or converted into a pillow. This is made possible by theshroud and padding being made from material such as polyurethane fabricor soft, synthetic rubber that can be easily folded multiple times. Forexample, the flexible shroud with padded insert may be configured toallow the headrest cover to be folded into a stack of thirds comprisinga lower third, a central third, and an upper third wherein each thirdincludes at least a portion of the outer opening and wherein the outeropening is maintained inside the stack, so that the lower third and thecentral third can be tucked inside the outer opening portion of theupper third, thereby converting the headrest cover into a trifoldedpillow.

In another embodiment, the padding can have a size substantiallymatching the volume of the inner chamber. A pillowcase may be providedto further enclose the padding. The pillowcase may further provide oneor more pockets formed on a surface of the pillowcase for containingneck pads. The neck pads can be provided on either side of center, toprovide additional neck support. In one embodiment, the neck pads may bedome-shaped and made of a soft, resilient material such as syntheticrubber. The flexible shroud may also include means for closing the inneropening and outer opening, such as zippers or hook-and-loop (Velcro®)fasteners.

In other embodiments, the flexible shroud of the headrest cover maydefine various shapes and sizes. For example, the headrest cover mayhave a generally rectangular volume. The flexible shroud may have alength between about 18 inches and about 20 inches, the outer opening orthe inner opening may have a length between about 11 inches and about 13inches, the outer opening may be substantially centered on the outersurface of the shroud, or the inner opening may be substantiallycentered on the inner panel.

In another embodiment, a bichambered headrest cover according to theinvention includes a flexible shroud having an inner chamber and anouter chamber. The inner chamber contains padding and is separated fromthe outer chamber by an inner panel disposed within the outer chamber.The outer chamber is accessible through an outer opening defined throughan outer surface of the shroud. The outer chamber is further accessiblethrough a second opening defined through a top section of the shroud.The flexible shroud is configured to enclose a chair headrest within theouter chamber and, when removed from the chair, to be folded intomultiple stacked portions and an outermost stacked portion, wherein theoutermost stacked portion includes an end segment of the outer opening.The end segment of the outer opening can at least partially enclose themultiple stacked portions within the outer chamber, thereby collapsingthe headrest cover into a pillow.

In another embodiment, a bichambered headrest cover includes a flexibleshroud having an inner chamber and an outer chamber. The inner chambercontains padding and is separated from the outer chamber by an innerpanel disposed within the outer chamber. The outer chamber is accessiblethrough two openings. The first opening is defined through an outersurface of the shroud. The second opening is defined through a topsection of the shroud. The flexible shroud is configured to enclose achair headrest within the outer chamber and, when removed from thechair, to be rolled into a compressed volume that can be tucked into anend segment of the outer opening to form a pillow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will beor will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination ofthe following figures and detailed description. It is intended that allsuch additional systems, methods, features and advantages be includedwithin this description, be within the scope of the invention, and beprotected by the accompanying claims. Component parts shown in thedrawings are not necessarily to scale, and may be exaggerated to betterillustrate the important features of the invention. Dimensions shown areexemplary only. In the drawings, like reference numerals may designatelike parts throughout the different views, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a frontal perspective view of one embodiment according to theinvention of a bichambered convertible headrest cover with paddedinsert.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the headrest cover of FIG. 1 beingtrifolded.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the headrest cover of FIG. 1 in atrifolded state, showing lower and middle thirds tucked into a portionof the outer opening of the upper third to form a pillow.

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the headrest cover of FIG. 1 ,showing the inner and outer chambers separated by an inner panel.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of padding for theheadrest cover of FIG. 1 , which is shown enclosed within a pillowcasethat has corner pockets for containing neck pads.

FIG. 6 is a frontal view of the headrest cover of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 7 is a rear view of the headrest cover of FIG. 1 , shown with theouter opening closed.

FIG. 8 is a lower side view of the headrest cover of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 9 is an upper side view of the headrest cover of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 10 is a right side view of the headrest cover of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 11 is a left side view of the headrest cover of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 12 is a rear view of an alternative embodiment of a bichamberedconvertible headrest cover according to the invention.

FIG. 13 is a lower side view of the headrest cover of FIG. 12 .

FIG. 14 is an upper side view of the headrest cover of FIG. 12 .

FIG. 15 is a frontal view of the headrest cover of FIG. 12 attached tothe handle of a suitcase to provide a backrest.

FIG. 16 is a side view of the headrest cover when used as a backrest asin FIG. 15 .

FIG. 17 is a rear view of the headrest cover when used as a backrest asin FIG. 15 .

FIG. 18 is a frontal view of the headrest cover of FIG. 12 attached overthe handle of a suitcase to provide a carrying pouch.

FIG. 19 is a side view of the headrest cover when used as a carryingpouch as in FIG. 18 .

FIG. 20 is a rear view of the headrest cover when used as a carryingpouch as in FIG. 18 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a portable headrest cover that can beinstalled onto the headrest portion of a chair to form a comfortable,protective barrier between the headrest and the head and neck of anindividual seated in the chair. When removed from the chair, theheadrest cover can be converted into a pillow to provide an alterativemeans of comfort for the individual or collapsed for easy transport andstorage.

FIG. 1 shows a frontal perspective view of one embodiment according tothe invention of a bichambered convertible headrest cover 10 with apadded insert. The headrest cover 10 includes a shroud 20 that ispreferably made from a flexible material such as fabric, for example,cotton or polyurethane or other cloth made from natural or syntheticfibers, or a blend of both. The shroud 20 encloses the internal parts ofthe headrest cover and forms a soft, comfortable surface all around theheadrest cover. The shrouded headrest cover may be generally rectangularin shape, as it is preferably intended for use on commercial airlineseats that have headrests that are also generally rectangular, althoughother shapes and applications are possible. Preferably, the material ofheadrest cover 10 is a machine-washable sterilizable fabric that can beeasily manually installed on a headrest by pulling and stretching theheadrest cover around the headrest being covered, and that can also beeasily manually removed from a headrest using the same method, as apillowcase is installed to cover a pillow, or as a fitted sheet isinstalled to cover a mattress.

In one embodiment, the length of the shroud 20 is between about 18 and20 inches, the height of shroud 20 is between about 8 and 10 inches, andthe depth of shroud 20 is between about 2 and 4 inches. The shroud 20may be fabricated by conventional stitching techniques to create a sidewall or panel 18 bordered by a front stitch 22 and a rear stitch 24. Theside wall 18 may run partially or completely around the perimeter of theshroud 20. In one embodiment, the headrest cover 10 is formed as atrifoldable headrest cover having a right third 12, a main third 14, anda left third 16. This fractional terminology is a rough approximationused only for purposes of illustration, and does not limit the inventionin size or scale.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the headrest cover 10 being trifoldedinto a stack of thirds. In this example, the trifold is achieved bytucking or folding the left third 16 inward between the right third 12and the main third 14. As shown in the figure, the main third 14 issituated on the bottom of the stack, and when so stacked may be referredto herein as the lower third 14. The left third 16 is being situated inthe middle of the stack, and when so stacked may be referred to hereinas the middle third 16. The right third 12 is being situated on the topof the stack, and when so stacked may be referred to herein as the upperthird 12. An optional pull tab 26 may be affixed to the shroud 20 toassist in the stacking and tucking process.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the headrest cover 10 in a fullytrifolded (or collapsed) state that forms a pillow. The lower third 14and middle third 16 have been tucked into a portion of the outer opening29 of the upper third 12 to form the pillow. Alternatively, rather thanfolding the headrest cover 10 into thirds or into some other fractionalsections for stacking, embodiments of the invention also allow theheadrest cover to be rolled in a longitudinal direction (i.e. along thedirection of the seams 28, 30) and the resulting roll tucked into thesame portion of the outer opening 29 to form a pillow.

FIG. 4 shows a bottom perspective view of the headrest cover 10, toillustrate the bichambered internal configuration. The bichamberedconfiguration consists of an inner chamber 33 and an outer chamber 29.The inner chamber 33 and outer chamber 29 are separated by an innerpanel, which is composed of a top part 36 and a bottom part 38. An inneropening is defined through the inner panel between the top part 36 ofthe inner panel and the bottom part 38 of the inner panel. This inneropening leads to the inner chamber 33. An outer opening is definedthrough the rear surface 40 of the headrest cover 10 underneath the topflap 35, as shown. In one embodiment, the inner opening into chamber 33and the outer opening into chamber 29 may each have a length betweenabout 11 inches and about 13 inches. The inner chamber 33 may beconfigured to enclose padding, and the outer chamber 29 may beconfigured to accommodate, and hold the headrest cover to, a headrestportion of a chair. Optional means for closing the inner and outeropening may also be provided, such as the hook-and-loop fasteners 32,34, or by a zipper, buttons, or other conventional methods. In thisembodiment, the upper flap 35, lower flap 45, and bottom surface 40 areformed from the same material used to form the front surface of shroud20. The flaps may be strengthened by a reinforced fold at the border ofthe outer opening 29, as indicated by stitching 28, 30.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of padding for theheadrest cover 10. In this figure the padding comprises a pillowcase 50that contains a padding material such as foam rubber or other natural orsynthetic pillow stuffing that conforms to the shape of its container.The pillowcase 50 may include corner pockets 54, 56 for containing neckpads 58. The surface 52 of the pillowcase 50 may be formed from the samefabric as the shroud 20, or from a different fabric. Whether or notenclosed in the pillowcase 50, the padding is inserted within the innerchamber 33 of the shroud 20 when a headrest cover according to theinvention is fully assembled. Preferably, the padding has a size thatsubstantially matches the volume and shape of the inner chamber 33, orthat enables the padding to generally assume the volume and shape of theinner chamber 33 when stuffed therewithin. Reinforced flaps such as 57may be stitched to strengthen the borders of the pockets 54, 56. Meansfor closing the pockets 54, 56 may also be provided, such ashook-and-loop fasteners 59, 60, or by a zipper, buttons, or otherconventional methods.

FIG. 6 shows a frontal view of the headrest cover 10 in a fullyextended, or unfolded condition. This view illustrates the generallyrectangular shape of the headrest cover, and general divisions thereofinto the left third 16, main third 14, and right third 12. This is theview that a user would see when facing the headrest when the headrestcover 10 is installed on the headrest of a chair. This view furtherillustrates how the shape of side wall 18 is somewhat formable, due tothe flexibility of fabric used to manufacture the headrest cover, and tothe formability of the enclosed padding. For example, though generallyrectangular, the side wall 18 may define curved sides and corners aroundthe rectangle to improve its fit to a particular headrest.

FIG. 7 shows a rear view of the headrest cover 10 in a fully extended,or unfolded condition, with the outer opening closed under the flap 35.This is the view that a user would see when facing the back of aheadrest when the headrest cover 10 is installed on the headrest of achair. Preferably, when flap 35 is closed, the headrest is completelyenveloped by the headrest cover 10.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show, respectively, lower and upper side views of theheadrest cover 10. These views illustrate the locations of bulging neckpads 58 on either side of the headrest cover at locations 64 and 66. Theneck pads may be securely held within pockets 54 and 56 of pillowcase50, as depicted in FIG. 5 . Alternatively, shroud 20 may be configuredwith similarly located pockets for securely holding the neck pads.However configured, a headrest cover according to the invention mayprovide a means for attaching one or more neck pads to or within theshroud to provide added support for the head and neck of an individualseated in a chair having a headrest portion to which headrest cover 10has been attached by means of the outer chamber of the shroud 20.Attaching structures for the neck pads can also include buttons,zippers, and hook-and-loop fasteners.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show, respectively, right side and left side views ofthe headrest cover 10, again illustrating the locations of bulging neckpads 58 on either side of the headrest cover at locations 64 and 66. Theneck pads 58 are preferably made from a material that is soft andpliable for comfort, but that is also somewhat resilient to providesupport for a user’s head and neck. Silicone, or other synthetic rubbersor elastomers may be used for this purpose. In one embodiment, the neckpads 58 are dome-shaped.

FIG. 12 is a rear view of an alternate embodiment of the headrest cover10. In the illustrated embodiment, seams 28, 30 defining the outeropening 29 have been moved substantially above an imaginary horizontalline cutting across the middle of the headrest cover to form the upperouter opening 29 a. In preferred embodiments, the upper outer opening 29a is positioned roughly on the upper-third of the rear surface 40 of theheadrest cover. The upper outer opening 29 a results in a short, upperflap 70 that can be connected to a long, lower flap 72 to close theouter opening. Connection between the upper flap 70 and the lower flap72 may be accomplished as previously described herein, i.e., through useof hook-and-loop fasteners, zippers, button, or any other conventionalattachment mechanism.

The upper outer opening 29 a has several advantages over previousembodiments. For example, it is common for airplanes to have displayscreens integrated into the rear of a headrest or to have some type ofmounting station for a person to position their mobile phone or otherelectronic tablet so they can view videos or other media on their devicehandsfree while traveling. In previously disclosed embodiments, an upperflap may to be long and have the disadvantage of completely blocking orotherwise impeding a display screen on the rear of the headrest. Theinstant embodiment has the advantage of the short upper flap 70 that issufficient to mount the headrest cover to the headrest but not longenough to block a display screen on the rear of the headrest. Thisallows for a more universal deployment of the instant invention whileminimizing potential obstructions that may be caused by the invention toothers around the user. Additionally, there are several other advantagesto the upper outer opening, as will be explained in more detail below.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are bottom and top views, respectively, of theembodiment shown in FIG. 12 . The side wall 18 has a top section 74 andan opposite, bottom section 76. Defined in the top section 74 is asleeve opening 78. The sleeve opening 78 is a secondary passage into theouter chamber 29 and provides several advantages over previousembodiments. For example, the opening 78 may provide convenient accessto the outer chamber 29 such that it can be used for storage purposeswhen the invention is not deployed as a headrest cover. Further, thesleeve opening 78 can provide convenient access for a user to insert acooling or heating pad in to be held in the outer chamber. In the caseof a corded-heating pad, the cord will not encumber or otherwiseinterfere with the user because the sleeve opening 78 is defined throughthe back surface 40, meaning the cord will also be on the back side ofthe user.

FIGS. 15-20 are various other views showing the embodiment of FIG. 12deployed with a suitcase. FIGS. 15-17 show a bottom-up deployment. FIG.15 is a front view of the headrest cover 10 deployed on a suitcase. FIG.16 is a side view of the headrest cover deployed on the suitcase. Theheadrest cover 10 is positioned such that shroud 20 faces the front ofthe suitcase. FIG. 17 is a rear view of the headrest cover deployed onthe suitcase. In this bottom-up deployment, the handle H of the suitcaseis inserted in the sleeve opening 78 defined through the top section 74of the side wall 18. The handle H extends into the outer opening 29 aand is stopped by the bottom section 76 of the side wall 18. In thismanner, a user can turn their suitcase into a convenient resting spotwith a padded backrest. The user can sit on the top of the suitcase andlean back against the handle H, which has been covered with the headrestcover and has the pads oriented to engage the user’s back. This can beadvantageous to users who cannot find a real seat to rest in whiletraveling or to those persons who require frequent rests while walkingfor extended periods of time, for instance an elderly traveler. Thetraveler can quickly and conveniently convert their suitcase into acomfortable seat to rest in at virtually any given time.

FIGS. 18-20 show various views of a top-up deployment. FIG. 18 is afront view with the shroud 20 oriented towards the front of thesuitcase. FIG. 19 is a side view and FIG. 20 is a rear view. The upperouter opening 29 a is connected to the sleeve opening 78 to define asleeve 80. As can be clearly seen in FIG. 20 , the handle H is insertedin the upper outer opening 29 a and extends through the sleeve 80 andout the sleeve opening 78. In this manner, the headrest cover is held inplace on the suitcase by the upper flap 70 engaging the handle H throughthe sleeve 80. After the handle H has been completely passed through thesleeve 80, the upper flap 70 and lower flap 72 may thereafter beconnected via conventional connection means to close the upper outeropening 29 a.

This manner of deployment provides similar advantages as those describedabove but instead of providing a padded area for the upper back of auser, the pads will now be positioned in the lower back area. Further,the opening 78 provides the user convenient access to the outer chamber29 which may be used as a storage compartment for small electronics orother accessories the user may be carrying on their person.

The upper grip of the handle H remains exposed after passing completelythrough the sleeve 80 and out of the sleeve opening 78. This allows auser to securely attach the headrest cover to their suitcase to avoidhaving to carry it while still being able to easily maneuver thesuitcase. Further, the user has the option to store small items in theouter chamber 29 by inserting them through the opening 78. The outerchamber 29 remains sealed through the connection between the upper andlower flaps 70, 72 such that the risk of items falling out is minimized.

In view of the foregoing disclosure, one skilled in the relevant artwill appreciate that the present invention for a headrest cover, in abroad sense, may be expressed as a removable headrest cover forinstallation on a headrest portion of a chair. Furthermore, theinvention may include a flexible shroud having an inner chamber and anouter chamber, the inner chamber separated from the outer chamber by aninner panel disposed within the outer chamber, the outer chamberaccessible through an outer opening defined through an outer surface ofthe shroud, and the inner chamber accessible through an inner openingdefined through the inner panel. Furthermore, the invention may includepadding enclosed within the inner chamber.

The skilled artisan will further recognize that a more elaborateembodiment of the invention may be expressed as a headrest cover havinga flexible shroud having an inner chamber and an outer chamber and thefollowing additional features: The inner chamber contains padding and isseparated from the outer chamber by an inner panel disposed within theouter chamber. The outer chamber is accessible through an outer openingdefined through an outer surface of the shroud. The flexible shroud isconfigured to enclose a chair headrest within the outer chamber and,when removed from the chair, to be folded into multiple stacked portionsand an outermost stacked portion, wherein the outermost stacked portionincludes an end segment of the outer opening. And, wherein the endsegment of the outer opening can at least partially enclose the multiplestacked portions within the outer chamber to form a pillow.

The skilled artisan will also recognize that another important aspect ofthe invention may be expressed as a headrest cover that includes aflexible shroud having an inner chamber and an outer chamber, whereinthe inner chamber contains padding and is separated from the outerchamber by an inner panel disposed within the outer chamber, wherein theouter chamber is accessible through an outer opening defined through anouter surface of the shroud, wherein the flexible shroud is configuredto enclose a chair headrest within the outer chamber and, when removedfrom the chair, to be rolled into a compressed volume that can be tuckedinto an end segment of the outer opening to form a pillow.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in anillustrative style. Accordingly, the terminology employed throughoutshould be read in a non-limiting manner. Although minor modifications tothe teachings herein will occur to those well versed in the art, itshall be understood that what is intended to be circumscribed within thescope of the patent warranted hereon are all such embodiments thatreasonably fall within the scope of the advancement to the art herebycontributed, and that that scope shall not be restricted, except inlight of the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A removable headrest cover for installation on aheadrest portion of a chair, comprising: a flexible shroud having afront surface opposite a back surface and connected by a side wall andenclosing an inner chamber and an outer chamber; the inner chamberseparated from the outer chamber by an inner panel disposed within theouter chamber, the outer chamber accessible through an outer openingdefined through an outer surface of the shroud, the inner chamberaccessible through an inner opening defined through the inner panel, anopening defined through a top section of the sidewall; and paddingenclosed within the inner chamber.
 2. The removable headrest cover ofclaim 1, wherein the outer opening is defined substantially on the upperone-third of the back surface to form an upper outer opening.
 3. Theremovable headrest cover of claim 2, wherein the upper outer openingforms a small upper flap and a lower flap with means for closing theupper outer opening.
 4. The removable headrest cover of claim 3, whereinthe closing means comprises hook-and-loop fasteners.
 5. The removableheadrest of claim 1, wherein the opening extends into the outer chamber.6. The removable headrest cover of claim 5, wherein the opening isconfigured to receive a handle of a suitcase to be partially enclosed inthe outer chamber and extending to the bottom section of the side wall.7. The removable headrest cover of claim 5, wherein a sleeve is definedthrough the outer opening extending to the opening.
 8. The removableheadrest cover of claim 7, wherein the sleeve is configured as acomplete passage from the outer opening to the opening.
 9. The removableheadrest cover of claim 8, wherein the sleeve is configured for thecomplete insertion of a handle of a suitcase extending through the outeropening and out of the opening.
 10. The removable headrest cover ofclaim 1, wherein the padding has a size substantially matching a volumeof the inner chamber.
 11. The removable headrest cover of claim 1,further comprising a pillowcase enclosing the padding.
 12. The removableheadrest cover of claim 11, wherein the pillowcase further comprises oneor more pockets formed on a surface of the pillowcase.
 13. The removableheadrest cover of claim 12, further comprising a neck pad at leastpartially enclosed in each of the one or more pockets.
 14. The removableheadrest cover of claim 13, wherein the neck pad comprises dome-shapedsynthetic rubber.
 15. The removable headrest cover of claim 1, whereinthe flexible shroud is configured to enclose within the outer chamber aheadrest portion of a passenger seat in a commercial airplane.
 16. Theremovable headrest cover of claim 1 wherein the padding is foldable intothirds.
 17. The removable headrest cover of claim 16, wherein theflexible shroud is configured to allow: (i) the headrest cover to befolded into a stack of thirds comprising a lower third, a middle third,and an upper third wherein each third includes at least a portion of theouter opening and wherein the outer opening is maintained inside thestack; and (ii) the lower third and the middle third to be tucked insidethe outer opening portion of the upper third; thereby converting theheadrest cover into a trifolded pillow.
 18. The removable headrest coverof claim 1 wherein the flexible shroud defines a generally rectangularvolume.
 19. A bichambered convertible headrest cover, comprising: aflexible shroud having an inner chamber and an outer chamber, the innerchamber containing padding and separated from the outer chamber by aninner panel disposed within the outer chamber, the outer chamberaccessible through two openings, wherein a first outer opening isdefined through an outer surface of the shroud and a second top openingis defined through a top section of the shroud; wherein the flexibleshroud is configured to enclose a chair headrest within the outerchamber and, when removed from the chair, to be folded into multiplestacked portions to form a pillow.
 20. A bichambered convertibleheadrest cover, comprising: a flexible shroud having an inner chamberand an outer chamber, the inner chamber containing padding and separatedfrom the outer chamber by an inner panel disposed within the outerchamber, the outer chamber accessible through an outer opening definedthrough an outer surface of the shroud and positioned substantially onan upper one-third of a back side of the outer surface; wherein theflexible shroud is configured to enclose a chair headrest within theouter chamber and, when removed from the chair, to be rolled into acompressed volume that can be tucked into an end segment of the outeropening to form a pillow.